Tethered ball apparatus

ABSTRACT

A ball game apparatus which includes a pair of support members adapted for mounting above ground level; an elongated flexible line extending between the support members; a ball slidably suspended from the line so as to be displaceable by hitting along the line; and a weighted element attached to at least one end of the line and adapted resiliently to maintain the line taut between the support members.

11 I. u I

std States Patent [191 1111 3,

Fretorius 5] Dec. 9, 1975 TETHERED BALL APPARATUS 2,307,905 1/1943 Ament 273/26 E I ld 273 26 EA [75] Inventor: mums Pretonus, Mondeor 277 2 l iiggg 27 3/26 E Johannesburg, Transvaal South 3,086,775 4/1963 Albert 273/26 EA Afrlca 3,469,840 9/1969 Kruzel 273/26 EA 273 26 E [73] Asslgnee: Jet (E'endoms) i 3523 852 i ii t 273/2 6 EA Johannesburg South Afnca 3,649,018 3/1972 Beam 273/95 A [22] Filed: July 16, 1974 Primary ExaminerAnton O. Oechsle [21] Appl' 489065 Assistant Examiner-T. Brown Attorney, Agent, or FirmBerman, Aisenberg & Platt [30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 25, 1973 South Africa 73/5082 [57] ABSTRACT [52] CL 273/95 273/29 BC 273/26 EA A ball game apparatus which includes a pair of sup- [51] mt A63B 69/40 port members adapted for mountlng above ground level an elongated flexible lin e extending between the F l [58] N d of Search 2 g 212 support members; a ball slldably suspended from the line so as to be displaceable by hitting along the line; and a weighted element attached to at least one end of [56] References Cited the llne and adapted res1l1ently to malntam the line UNITED STATES PATENTS taut between the support members. 1,708,796 4/1929 Lawrence 273/95 A 1,907,412 5/1933 Zimmer 273/26 EA 10 Clams, 6 Drawlng Flgul'es US. Patent Dec.9, 1975 Sheet 2'0f2 3,924,855-v I v TETIIERED BALL APPARATUS I This invention relates to a ball game and to an apparatus therefor.

According to the invention there is provided a ball game apparatus which includes a pair of support members adapted for mounting above ground level; an elongated flexible line extending between the support members; a ball slidably suspended from the line so as to be displaceable by hitting along the line; and a weighted element attached to at least one end of the line and adapted resiliently to maintain the line taut between the support members.

The apparatus may include a pair of posts on which the support members are mounted. The posts may be adjustably elongatable. The posts may have pointed ends to facilitate their insertion into the ground. Additionally, or alternatively, the posts may be supported by stays.

Instead of posts, a pair of brackets may be provided having mounting means for attaching them to a surface and on which the support members are mounted.

The ball may be slidably suspended from the line via a flexible element, such as nylon string, attached to a slider element encircling the line. The slider element may be in the form of a ring or tube freely slidable along the line. In another embodiment the slider element may be substantially of U-shape having two spaced looped ends, each surrounding the line. A swivel connection may be provided intermediate the ball and the slider element to prevent twirling of the flexible element.

The support members may be in the form of freely rotatable pulleys over which the line is strung, each weighted element being attached to the respective downwardly depending ends of the line.

The apparatus may include a plurality of bats or racquets for hitting the ball to and fro along the line.

An embodiment of the invention is now described by A way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic side elevation of a ball game apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a three dimensional view of the manner of attachment of a ball in the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a side elevation of a further form of a post for a ball game;

FIG. 4 shows an end view of the top end of the post shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a side elevation of a bracket and support member in a further form of a ball game apparatus; and

FIG. 6 shows a three dimensional view of a further form of slider element which can be used in the ball game apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 generally indicates a ball game apparatus, which includes an elongated line 12 suspended above ground level and strung around a pair of pulleys 14 mounted on a pair of posts 16. The posts 16 comprise a plurality of elements joined together spigot and socket fashion. The posts are placed on the ground and supported by stays 18.

The line 12 is kept resiliently taut by means of a pair of weights 20 attached to the respective ends of the line 12. As illustrated in FIG. 1, line 12 is maintained essentially horizontally so that the slope of line 12 does not impart any material tendency for slider element 30 to 2 favor moving in a particular direction, i.e. toward one post 16, along the line, as opposed to moving in the opposite direction, i.e. toward the other post 16.

The line 12 may be of nylon gut, stainless steel wire, or the like. In a preferred embodiment, the central portion of the line extending between the posts is of stainless steel wire, while the downwardly depending portions are of nylon.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 2, a ball 22 is connected to a flexible element 24, e.g. in the form of a length of nylon string. One end of the nylon string 24 is passed diametrically through the ball and knotted at 26. The other end is connected to the looped end of a swivel connection 28. The other end of the swivel connection 28 is slidably mounted on a U-shaped slider element 30, itself having a pair of looped ends 32 surrounding the line 12.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a further form of post 16 is shown. The upper end of the post 16 is telescopically extensible and retractable relative to the lower portion of the post and can be locked in any desired position by means'of a cam-type locking arrangement 34. In this embodiment, the weights 20 are tubular and slidable along the lower portion of the post 16. The line 12 is attached at each end to the weights 20 by a ring 36.

The lower end of the post 16 is tapered and has a flange 38 for facilitating the insertion of the lower end of the post into the ground.

The stays 18 are in the form of flexible lines attached at one end to ring formations 40 on the post and having rings 42 at their other ends. The stays 18 are anchored in the ground by pegs 44.

A stop formation 46 is provided a short distance away from the pulleys 14 at each end of the line 12. The stop formations 46 merely serve to prevent the slider element 32 of FIG. 1 becoming entangled with the pulleys 14. I

Referring now to FIG. 4, the upper end of the post 16 is shown. The pulley 14 is mounted between a U- shaped bracket 48 so as to be freely rotatable on an axle 50. In order to ensure that. the pulley 14 is freely rotatable, a roller bearing or the like may be mounted intermediate the pulley l4 and the axle 50.

In FIG. 5, an apparatus is shown whereby the game can be played indoors. Instead of the pulleys 14 being mounted on posts, they are mounted on brackets 52 which are fixed on opposed wall surfaces in a room by means of nuts 54 fitted to studs fixed in the wall.

In FIG. 6, a further form of slider element 30 is shown. In this embodiment, the slider element is in the form of an elongated tube which encircles the line 12 so as to be freely slidable along the line 12. The ball 22 (not shown) is again attached via a swivel connection to a wire loop 56 attached to the tube.

In use, the poles are erected, as shown, a distance of, say, 10 to 15 meters apart. Two or more players, standing between the poles, can then hit the ball to and fro along the line 12.

The applicant has found that when the line 12 is of nylon and the pulleys 14 are spaced about 15 meters apart, best results are achieved when the weights 20 are in the region of 0.75 kg. If the line 12 is kept too taut, when the ball is hit, the flexible element 24 tends to wrap itself around the line 12 rather than allowing the ball to follow a linear or arcuate path between the pulleys 14.

Because the weights 20 maintain a substantially constant pull on the line 12, the ball 22 can be hit in arcs 3 so that the central portion of the line 12 is displaced laterally over a range of up to 2 meters about its normal position, thereby adding to the interest in and skill required for the game.

The invention provides a ball game apparatus which can be readily erected and played anywhere, indoors or outdoors, and which can be readily dismantled and stored in a confined space.

I claim:

1. A ball game apparatus which includes a pair of support members adapted for mounting above ground level; an elongated flexible line having at least one free end and extending essentially horizontally between the support members; a ball slidably suspended from the line intermediate the support members so as to be displaceable along the line by hitting; and a separate weighted element attached to each free end of the line and adapted to maintain the line resiliently taut between the support members; the line being disposed so that it does not have a slope which favors displacement of the ball in a particular direction along the line.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, which includes a pair of posts on which the support members are mounted.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the posts are adjustably elongatable.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, which includes a pair of'brackets having mounting means for attaching them to a surface and on which the support members are mounted.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the ball is slidably suspended from the line via a flexible element attached to a slider element encircling the line.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which a swivel connection is provided intermediate the ball and the slider element.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the support members are in the form of freely rotatable pulleys over which the line is strung, each weighted element being attached to a downwardly depending end of the line.

8. A ball game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the elongated flexible line has ends which depend downwardly.

9. A ball game apparatus which includes a pair of support members adapted for mounting above ground level; an elongated flexible line having downwardlydepending free ends and extending essentially horizontally between the support members; a ball slidably suspended from the line intermediate the support members so as to be displaceable along the line by hitting; and wherein a weighted element is attached to each downwardly-depending free end of the line, adapted to maintain the line resiliently taut between the support members and adapted to apply a controlled degree of resilience to the line; the line, when the ball is hit, being displaceable in any one of a plurality of radial directions at its point of interconnection, for the time being, with the suspended ball.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the support members are in the form of freely-rotatable pulleys over which the line is strung to permit free displacement of the line relative to the support members. 

1. A ball game apparatus which includes a pair of support members adapted for mounting above ground level; an elongated flexible line having at least one free end and extending essentially horizontally between the support members; a ball slidably suspended from the line intermediate the support members so as to be displaceable along the line by hitting; and a separate weighted element attached to each free end of the line and adapted to maintain the line resiliently taut between the support members; the line being disposed so that it does not have a slope which favors displacement of the ball in a particular direction along the line.
 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, which includes a pair of posts on which the support members are mounted.
 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the posts are adjustably elongatable.
 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, which includes a pair of brackets having mounting means for attaching them to a surface and on which the support members are mounted.
 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the ball is slidably suspended from the line via a flexible element attached to a slider element encircling the line.
 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which a swivel connection is provided intermediate the ball and the slider element.
 7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the support members are in the form of freely rotatable pulleys over which the line is strung, each weighted element being attached to a downwardly depending end of the line.
 8. A ball game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the elongated flexible line has ends which depend downwardly.
 9. A ball game apparatus which includes a pair of support members adapted for mounting above ground level; an elongated flexible line having downwardly-depending free ends and extending essentially horizontally between the support members; a ball slidably suspended from the line intermediate the support members so as to be displaceable along the line by hitting; and wherein a weighted element is attached to each downwardly-depending free end of the line, adapted to maintain the line resiliently taut between the support members and adapted to apply a controlled degree of resilience to the line; the line, when the ball is hit, being displaceable in any one of a plurality of radial directions at its point of interconnection, for the time being, with the suspended ball.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the support members are in the form of freely-rotatable pulleys over which the line is strung to permit free displacement of the line relative to the support members. 